Poached Mussels Tomato Saffron And Basil Food

MUSSELS WITH TOMATOES, HERBS AND GARLIC (MOULES PROVENçALE)

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, celery, garlic, basil and bouquet garni, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until softened but not browned.
• Mix in the tomato paste and tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Put the mussels in a casserole dish with the wine, over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes only, until the mussels have opened, stirring frequently to ensure they are evenly cooked.
• Pour off the cooking liquid, discard any mussels that have not opened, and return the opened mussels, in their shells, to the casserole dish.
• Pour the hot tomato sauce over the mussels and heat through. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve at once.

POACHED MUSSELS, TOMATO, SAFFRON AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring wine and saffron to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add mussels, cover and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until they start to open (2-3 minutes). Remove mussels from pan as they open, remove mussel meat from shells and reserve. Strain and reserve cooking liquid.
• For tomato dressing, combine tomato and spring onion in a bowl, add 30ml reserved mussel liquor, oil and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Pour tomato dressing over mussels, scatter with watercress and allow flavours to infuse (15 minutes) before serving.

MUSSELS IN SAFFRON BROTH

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan over moderate heat, and add 1/2 the onions, salt and pepper. Saute briskly until slightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook and additional minute, then add the white wine and reduce to half. Add thyme, saffron, clam juice or fish stock, and tomato juice and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat about 10 minutes. Strain and reserve.
• Working in batches or in more than one pan, heat the remaining olive oil over high heat and add the remaining onion. Saute briefly, stirring occasionally, until onions are beginning to color, about 4 minutes. Add mussels to pan, keeping them in 1 layer, and saute 1 to 2 minutes, then add a proportionate amount of broth. Bring to a boil, reduce immediately to a simmer and cook, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until all the mussels are opened. Toss in parsley and serve on shallow soup plates with about a cup of broth per serving.

POACHED HALIBUT WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Season fish with salt and pepper. In a large skillet add the oil. Arrange fish in the pan and turn to coat in oil, then add garlic, shallots and wine. Top each fillet of fish with 1/4 of the tomatoes. Place the pan on the stove top and bring the liquid to a boil over medium high heat. Top the pan with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to moderate. Cook fish 8 to 10 minutes until opaque and flaky, but not dry. Carefully transfer fish topped with tomatoes to dinner plates or serving plate with a thin spatula. Spoon pan juices over the fish. Squeeze the wedge of lemon over the cooked fish and top each fillet with lots of torn or shredded basil. Serve immediately.

SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Season the tomatoes with salt in a large bowl; let sit 15 minutes. Stir in the mussels, parsley, scallions, lemon juice and olive oil.
• While the tomatoes sit, cook the pasta in a pot of boiling, salted water according to the label. Drain, then toss with the tomato-mussels mixture, adding a splash of pasta cooking water to loosen, if needed. Serve with a lemon wedge.

POACHED HALIBUT WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Season fish with salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet add the oil.
• Arrange fish in the pan and turn to coat in oil, then add garlic, shallots and wine.
• Top each fillet of fish with 1/4 of the tomatoes.
• Place the pan on the stove top and bring the liquid to a boil over medium high heat.
• Top the pan with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to moderate.
• Cook fish 8 to 10 minutes until opaque and flaky, but not dry.
• Carefully transfer fish topped with tomatoes to dinner plates or serving plate with a thin spatula.
• Spoon pan juices over the fish.
• Squeeze the wedge of lemon over the cooked fish and top each fillet with lots of torn or shredded basil.
• Serve immediately.

MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Put the mussels in a large bowl full of water with a large handful of ice and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Allow to mussels to sit in the liquid for 1 hour to disgorge any sand. Lift mussels out of bowl, leaving flour and sand behind. Scrub and debeard mussels. Discard any which are open and do not close when thumped on the counter.
• In a wide braising pan with high sides, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the stock (or wine or water, as you choose) and the saffron. Add mussels and tomatoes to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook until all the mussels are wide open, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any which fail to open.
• Take the pot off the heat, and stir in the cream. Serve.